Increasing Transparency in Boosted Proposals

[#1]

Our team recently launched a test to increase transparency around bidding in Boosted Proposals to help you make a more informed decision around spending Connects.

Check out the product update about this test here and let us know your thoughts about this update in the comments below.

[#2]

Totally Agreed.

[#3]

I agree

[#4]

Totally agreed

[#5]

Has anyone been forced to use this new bidding system?

This seems like an awful concept for freelancers (but good for UpWork's pockets)

A job required 21(!) connects to apply to a $65 job. How is this going to be sustainable?

[#6]

No, not how this works. Nobody is forced to bid more connects on jobs than the 2/4/6 that are required. 

What you see is bids that other people made. You don't have to use the bidding system at all. 

[#7]

I understand this but when I'm seeing the top 3 bids as 16, 17 and 21 connects that severley dampers my desire to even apply to certain jobs if I don't think I'm getting noticed - so while I'm not forced to do submit that many connects it certainly feels like it's going to affect me either getting jobs or applying in the first place

[#8]

it seems to me that if you have more cash at your disposal you can simply outbid everyone by 20+ connects, unfairly favoring freelancers that have a ton of resources. Now I'm actively rooting against freelancers when it used to be a community I rooted for. I think this whole idea is bad for the site and I am already putting together profiles on competeing sites because of it. 

[#9]

Hi Steve,

Here's a link from LinkedIn with a curated list of 18 alternative sites. **Edited for Community Guidelines**

[#10]

Hi Steve,

Apparently, the moderator didn't like the link I included.  If you have LinkedIn, you can navigate to the posts from Ali Arslan Akbar's from Dec 21st and Dec 22nd.

[#11]

I just made a thread about this

It unfairly favors freelancers with more money and resources to just outbid everyone else and that is not sustainable for me to try and keep up. I saw a $65 job whose top bids were 16, 17 and 21 connects. This is not a good system - I feel discouraged from even applying to these jobs now and even if I do at a normal connect number I doubt I'll even get seen!

[#12]

Don't let the boosting discourage you. I don't boost, and I still land jobs. The problem is the enormous number of unskilled freelancers clogging the system for the clients. Not boosting is not the reason people aren't getting jobs.

We should all agree not to use it, and boosting would disappear when no money was forthcoming.

[#13]

So, your response was posted on September 22nd. Are you still getting jobs without taking part in the bidding war? Just wondering. Thanks.

[#14]

Yes, I am.

[#15]

Lucky you. Not my case. I am aTop Rated Plus architects, first time in 13 years that I spend two months without an interview. Appling to 6-11 jobs per day. Not a single response. 
Many jobs are open for months, with no interviews, and if so without hiring. Upwork keep those connects and I am left with nothing.

[#16]

Hi Susan.

Like Jean, I have done some testing.

For 14 days, I used the available now badge and boosted proposals.
The result was that profile views didn't change (they were down 43% anyway), and I did not receive a response to any proposals. However, my profile views went slightly up once I stopped using the badge! And I've gained a few new clients without boosting.

Having said that, I've always seen submitting proposals as a numbers game, as in, you stand more chance the more you send.

[#17]

Yes, I am.

[#18]

Hi Jeane.

If it is unskilled freelancers who are clogging the system and boosting, the question would be, how can they afford the connects? Plus, where is the value in spending $$s on connects when the potential return may be negligible?

[#19]

I know some agencies or farmers, freelancers who have other freelancers do the work, but pay them less, apply/spam clients on every single job. Clients complain bitterly, and I understand why.

There are also individuals who are desperate to get a job and start their freelance career. Unfortunately, the majority do not have freelancers skills and will never earn a penny. Those people will still try to land jobs and spend those connects doing it. Some know they have no skills, and use the platform to cheat clients.

If an agency spams most jobs, even if they only get a small percent of hires, that's still a lot of hires. I look at it the way direct mail used to be. Send out your ad to everyone in the country, and if you only receive 4% response, that's still a lot of money.

Some freelancers are so desperate to get the first job, they will lower their rates to nothing and bid high, thinking after their first job, things will be much better. Not necessarily so. If they do get the job, the next client also expects dirt cheap rates. However, some hear others say you can make easy money on Upwork. This is not true. (This post may disappear) Still, some will bid high for a job, believing it is the way to become a real freelancer.

[#20]

I hate it because I don't want people to know how badly I blow them out of the water with connects.

The troll side of me lovvvvves it because now I want to do it more and watch the SEETHE when it gets posted somewhere. teeheee

[#21]

Hi All,

Thank you for feedback and observations you've shared about this test so far. I've merged the comments here to make sure we keep the discussion and feedback organized in one place.
I encourage you to check out the product update for more information about this test. 

[#22]

So, as I was asking, another beta test that we weren't told about.
From what I've seen, the ad is from half an hour ago.

[#23]

So, how does this help? I read and re-read and I don't understand what they're trying to say. At first glance, it looks like mumbo-jumbo trying to divert from the real issue. I mean "increase transparency?" We can already see the bids, so...how does "transparancy" help? It's more of the same. They must think we are really gullible. 😂  Or, again, as I've stated before, maybe I'm missing something in all of this. Just trying to find a silver lining... 😎

[#24]

So the upwork introduces. a new feature of bidding .. as i am totally destress to see that.. earlier i don't used boost proposal as it was introduced ..i got many project without boosted proposal and now i see that freelancer spending 20 connect for 50 dollar project what that nonsense .. i can't spend so much connect for one project i am  not comfortable ..as i faced many scammers who brought there money back from thrid party after the approval of milestone .. please take back this feature 

[#25]

We've seen the product update and it doesn't bring solution to our current problem.

If the product team are tasked to generate more income for upwork, they should go out there for marketing instead of starting unhealthy competitions among freelancers on the platform.

And why would they feel INTERFERING WITH CLIENT DECISIONS, starting CONNECT WAR-UNHEALTHY COMPETITIONS AMONG FREELANCERS, DISRUPTING THE JOB POOL is the next big thing to do?

I don't know how you guys see this current situation, or maybe you just don't care, but boosting proposal is very unnecessary.

1) It enrich the platform at the expense of the freelancers/service providers on the platform( The platform generate money in so many ways, why are they still stylishly trying to take more from us?)

2) This directly impact the client decisions(without having the client best interest in mind)

3) What of service providers/freelancers that can not afford to spend outrageous connects just to be seen?

4)It showcase Big Connect Spenders not Qualified Candidates so we can say the aim is to enrich the platform and the client/service provider/freelancers interest is not included.

We don't see any positive effect of boosting proposal except to enrich the platform by creating unhealthy competitions and benefiting from it.

If I'm missing something or wrong, I will be glad if you can explain better.

[#26]

Hi This is my second year at Upwork, And it's been a few months I haven't looked for a new job because there are a lot of loading from my long term clients,

At this time I realized there is a new feature that is being hotly discussed, about "Boost Proposals",
At first I always added boost to my proposal even though it wasn't much (1-3 connects) but apparently someone else Added Connect up to 50 for each proposal.

My question is simple for those of you who have Boost Proposal up to 50 connects, does it really work?